Written by Nolan Rehrig and Bethany Wempa, Red & Black Contributors
MAR. 1, 2023 – Family trumps all for Brittany Franell, a beloved barista at X’Prez’O, the coffee shop on the Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) campus.
She accredits her hospitable personality to her mother. Franell, a mother to one, uses the lessons learned from her mother as a guiding principle in parenting her ten-year-old son.
Franell and her son enjoy walking their dog and taking trips to Sky Zone. “He's very entertaining. He's very funny. He is very determined,” Franell said. “He’s just my best friend.”
Sometimes Franell’s worlds intertwine. Her son tells her that he enjoys visiting her at W&J and has told her that he wants to attend college here one day. Like his mother, he loves interacting with the students.
The love that she has for the students is not one-sided, as students all over campus frequently talk about their appreciation for her.
Franell has a reputation on the W&J campus for remembering the orders of students and faculty members that visit X’Prez’O.
“Sometimes Franell’s worlds intertwine. Her son tells her that he enjoys visiting her at W&J and has told her that he wants to attend college here one day.”
Nick Reeping, a sophomore wrestler from Derry, Pa. is an avid coffee drinker and orders from X’Prez’O at least five times a week. Reeping described several instances where Brittany talked to him about the wrestling season and congratulated him on his success.
“She [Brittany] makes the trips to X’Prez’O ten times better,” Reeping said. “Who needs Starbucks or Dunkin’ when we have Brittany from X’Prez’O?”
Franell’s connections with students have allowed her to interact with them outside of school as well as in the coffee shop. Not only is Franell a barista to the students, but she is also a friend, which makes her job so rewarding.
“She [Brittany] makes the trips to X’Prez’O ten times better...Who needs Starbucks or Dunkin’ when we have Brittany from X’Prez’O?” - Reeping'25
Franell, a lifelong resident of Washington, Pa. has a passion for working in the hospitality industry. For the past five years, Franell worked as a barista.
Franell worked as a hotel clerk for ten years before it closed and took her current job via her cousin’s recommendation.
W&J’s atmosphere is like her old job in that it practices hospitality through serving people. Franell likes to treat every student fairly and accommodate those who have special requests.
Franell’s hospitable nature is not just brought on by her career but is a part of her personality. She finds that her career doesn’t feel like a job, but it comes natural to her.
“I love talking to the kids. I love engaging with them,” Franell said. “I treat them like family.”
Even the smallest interactions with students, faculty and staff are appreciated by Franell.
“What makes me stay [at W&J] and enjoy my job the most is when the kids smile when they see me in the morning, when they tell me they enjoy the coffee I make them and especially when they tell me it makes their day to see me,” Franell said in a follow-up message.
Disclaimer: This article is a student feature from Dr. Berberick’s COM 230 Journalism class.
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